


Friends In Low Places

by LuckySkys



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, High Honor Arthur Morgan, No Beta, Protective Arthur Morgan, Serious Canon divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:47:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24357526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckySkys/pseuds/LuckySkys
Summary: This is an intro to the Micah I wish could have been in the gang and that I am thinking of using in a longer story line where I need him to be a good guy.  With all the bad folks chasing after the gang I am removing this one from the board.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Friends In Low Places

Micah wasn’t sure how he’d found himself on the ground in this back alley of this tiny two-bit town but there he was, sitting on his ass while this scrawny, lanky street kid stood toe-to-toe with his attackers. He’s spent the good portion of his day trailing this man and was pretty sure he hadn’t been seen, but the minute he’d tried to slip a hand into his coat to take the wallet, the man had spun and smacked him upside the head with his pistol. Micah figured at this point he was lucky to be alive. He sat on the ground and watched as the scrawny street urchin took punch after punch on his behalf, however, the kid was giving as good as he was getting. Micah stood slowly and watched his savior throw a final punch at the older man. Once the man realized Micah was back on his feet he turned tail and ran.

The street kid wheeled on Micah, hands up, ready to fight. Micah just looked at him and stated, “Kid, I ain’t got no bones to pick with ya. Fact, looks like I owe ya.”

“Yeah, well, don’t like to see folks beating on other kids.” was the only answer Micah got before the kid started walking off.

“Hey, wait.” Micah called after the kid and watched as he slowly turned to face him.

“Wha’chu wan,” he replied. His eyes took in Micah’s disheveled hair, bruised face and filthy, torn clothes raised an eyebrow and stared at him expectantly.

Micah looked over the kid as well, taking in the dirty blondish hair, extremely bruised face with one eye already swelling shut and clothes to match his own. “Just wanted to say thanks, the name is Micah. Micah Bell.” Micah stretched out a hand towards the kid but the kid just looked at him, spun back around and started walking aff again. “Look, kid…”

“I ain’t no kid, I ain’t interested, I don’t want anything from ya, and if ya try to rob me, I’ll beat the shit out of ya same as that old man that just tried to kick ya ass. Just a word of warnin’ for ya, if ya gonna work this town, ya might wanna learn who’s working which corners. There’s a gang of kids that work the middle of town and ya’re darn lucky it weren’t them that saw ya try to steal from that bastard.” The kid turned around and started walking off, but then turned back, looked Micah square in the eye, “Arthur, Arthur Morgan. Now get lost a’fore ya get us both killed.”

Instead of walking away, Micah decided to follow Arthur down the street. He jogged up to walk next to him, didn’t say anything else, just walked along with him. Finally Arthur stopped and glared at him.

“Well, I figure since ya saved my ass back there I owe ya one. Can’t pay ya back if I don know where to find ya.” A grunt was his only answer as Arthur started walking down the street again.

Three months later, Micah still hadn’t been able to repay Arthur for saving his ass, in fact, he was in debt even more to the kid as Arthur had managed to keep them both fed and saved his ass from another beating two weeks after the first.

The two had shared stories about their pasts, both had lost their mothers at an early age. Arthur had shared how he’d lost his father about a year earlier, shot dead right in front of him. Also explained how he didn’t really miss the bastard as he’d done nothing but beat on him after his mother had died. “Only two things he ever showed me that were worth a damn, was how to rob people and take a beating.” Arthur had stated while staring into a fire one night.

Micah always thought of Arthur as a kid, even though, after talking with him over the months, he’d discovered he and Arthur were only a year apart. Arthur being his junior by about 10 months. They worked well together and had become pretty good friends in the time they had spent together. They learned to rely on each other and trust one another which was something new for both of them, neither the type to trust easily.

The two boys ran their little thieving business in their portion of town and stayed out of the rest of the town. Things went well for them for nigh on 4 months before the man that ran the little gang in the heart of town approached Micah one evening while he was picking up supplies for him and Arthur from the general store. The store wasn’t too far from their little corner and was across the street from the saloon. 

The man shoved Micah up against the side of the general store and stated in a threatening manner, “you and that other street rat been running loose in my town long enough. You got til the end of the week to move on or start paying dues. You understand boy?” Micah was so startled he hadn’t had time to do much other than drop the bag he’d been carrying.

True to form, Arthur had witnessed the man slamming Micah to the wall and stalked up behind the him, “scuse me mister but, do ya need something from ma friend there?” Arthur knew rather well who the man was and was pretty sure he knew what he wanted but didn’t really care. He didn’t like that the man had Micah shoved into the wall and Micah was struggling to breath. He didn’t wait for the man to answer, just pulled his fist back and punched him in the face.

The man dropped Micah and growled, “You boys got til the end of the week. If ya ain’t gone then my men will come collecting.” As the man turned to walk away, he was met with a gun in the face.

The two boys both turned at the same time as the shot rang out. As soon as they saw the man hit the ground they both shot down the alley away from the body. They knew full well, they’d get blamed for it, even if they hadn’t done it. Too late, both realized they were being followed as they rounded a corner into a dead end alley. As they turned to fight (or die) they took in the men approaching. Micah did not miss Arthur’s very quiet, “Shit.” as he realized both men were armed to the teeth and he wouldn’t be able to fight both men.

Micah stepped up next to Arthur, who had instinctively moved to stand in front of him, ready for a fight. He took a good, long look at both men, they were both dressed pretty well. The closer was dressed in black pants, a white shirt and black vest and completed his outfit with a gold pocket watch. The man had dark eyes that seemed to bore right into Micah and read his every thought. The man had a pistol on each hip, and although his hands hovered near the grips, they were not drawn. The second man appeared a bit older, dressed in black pants, a cream colored vest and again, a white shirt. This man’s blue eyes were kind and calm. He held a shotgun in his hands but his arms were loose and lowered in a non-threatening manner.

The dark haired man spoke up, finally, “You boys ok?”

“Wha’chu care,” Arthur growled in his deepest voice.

“Just making sure that man didn’t hurt either of you.” The dark haired man stated.

“We look hurt to ya? I don’t know why ya followed us and I don much care but ya need ta leave. We gotta get a’fore that man’s friends find out what happened.” Arthur made a move to walk around the two men, only for the dark haired man to reach out and grab Arthur’s arm. Before either man realized what had happened Arthur had landed a solid punch to the jaw. The man was knocked back a couple of steps and the other man raised his shotgun.

“Look kid,” the second man finally spoke up. “We didn’t come down this alley to hurt you and we don’t want anything from you boys. But I can’t just let you punch my friend and then walk off.”

Micah finally steps up, “look we don mean no harm but he don like to be touched. He didn’t mean nothin by it, but it’s kind a reflex after what his pa don to him. Why you two followin us if’n ya don wan nothin?”

The dark haired man chuckles, “It’s alright Hosea. I’m fine, kid’s got a hell of a right hook.”

“I’d say, damn near took you down, Dutch.” The man now known as Hosea stated, chuckling as well.

The two boys looked at each other puzzled but didn’t say anything, just waited for the two men to actually tell them why they were there. Both certain it couldn’t be anything good.

Hosea finally grinned at the two boys but addressed Dutch, “What ya think Dutch?”

“I think they’re perfect, they’re both smart, can steal...a bit clumsy at it but they got potential...and they got spirit. I think it’s a good idea.” Dutch responded watching the two boys who were getting a bit nervous, eyes flicking from one man to the other.

Hosea steps closer and states, “how would you boys like to come with us?

**Author's Note:**

> This may end up becoming the Micah basis for a few story lines I have in my head. Please let me know if you'd like to see more good guy Micah.
> 
> Title inspired by Garth Brooks' song Friends in Low Places.


End file.
